Accounting Rules

Tax Year: From January 1 to December 31 of the same year.
Accounting Standards: Accounting in Spain is based on the General Accounting Plan.
Accounting Regulation Bodies: ICAC
Accounting Reports: The annual accounts consist of the balance sheet, income statement, (cuenta de perdidas y ganancias), net assets modification statement, cash flow statement and the schedule (memoria). Summary annual accounts can be used under certain conditions of amount and staff for the SME and micro-enterprises.
Publication Requirements: The publication of accounts to regulatory authorities is annual and compulsory.
Professional Accountancy Bodies: ICCAC , Accounting and Auditing Institute
ICJCE , Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Spain
AECE , Professional Association of Certified Public Accountants and Certified Tax Experts of Spain
Spanish Association of Tax Consultants
AECA , Spanish Association of Company Accounting and Administration
Certification and Auditing: Companies have to seek a statutory auditor to conduct an annual audit of the financial health of their organization. You can consult the Association of public auditors of Spain .
Accounting News: EIN Website on Spain

Tax Rates

Consumption Taxes

Nature of the Tax: Impuesto sobre el Valor Anadido (IVA).
Tax Rate: 18%
Reduced Tax Rate: 8% for food and non-alcoholic beverages, veterinary drugs, health equipment and products, accommodations, some passenger transport systems, average and low end hotels and restaurants, etc.
4% for essential foodstuff, medicines, cultural goods, cars for physically handicapped, etc.
Other Consumption Taxes: There are special taxes:
- IIEE: special production tax (alcoholic drinks, hydrocarbons, tobacco, electricity) ;
- IEDMT : special tax on certain means of transport ;
- Special tax on carbon ;
- IVMDH: tax on retail sales of some hydrocarbons.

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Corporate Taxes

Company Tax: 0.3
Tax Rate For Foreign Companies: The companies set up in Spain are taxed on their worldwide revenues and profits, while the foreign (non-resident) companies are taxed only on their revenues made in the country.
Capital Gains Taxation: Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income. The rate is 30%.
Main Allowable Deductions and Tax Credit: Relief for Ceuta and Melilla territories, export business, local public service, deductions for R&D activities, technological innovation, TIC development, protection and distribution of historical assets, investment in movie and audiovisual productions, publishing books, investment in environment protection or in geographic positioning systems via satellite or mobility of persons with handicaps, childcare, professional training, job creation for handicapped people, reinvestment of excess profits, employer contribution to special worker protection systems.
Tax rebate exists but is not used much. Compensation for losses can benefit from a tax rebate over 15 years.
Other Corporate Taxes: 1% capital duty is levied on the contribution of capital and upon liquidation. Nonresidents pay a special 3% tax (except if there is a tax treaty with Spain in force). Stamp duty of 0.5% levied on notarised document.

Individual Taxes

Tax Rate

Income Tax (IRPF)	Progressive Tax Rate from 24% to 45%.
From EUR 0 to 17,707	24%
From EUR 17,707 to 33,007	28%
From EUR 33,007 to 53,407	37%
From EUR 53,407 to 120,000	43%
From EUR 120,000 to 175,000	44%
More than EUR 175,000	45%
Savings tax	From 1 January 2010 a 19% tax is levied on savings income up to EUR 6,000 and a 21% tax on income over EUR 6,000.

Allowable Deductions and Tax Credit: Some expenses are deductible from each type of income. A deduction for social security contribution is permitted.
Special Expatriate Tax Regime: The tax regime of the expatriation country is applied in the majority of cases. Else, the Spanish tax department deducts 24%.

Double Taxation Treaties

Countries With Whom a Double Taxation Treaty Have Been Signed: See the list of non-double taxation agreements signed by Spain
Withholding Taxes: Dividends: 19%, Interest: 19%, Royalties: 24%.

Sources of Fiscal Information

Tax Authorities: Spanish Tax agency
Other Domestic Resources: Canalfiscal.com
Tax information on Spain
CIDEM

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Intellectual Property

National Organizations: Oficina Espanola de Patentes y Marcas for patents and trademark registrations.
Intellectual Property Central Registry
The competencies related to intellectual property were transferred to the Autonomous Communities which have their own registry, in coordination with the State Registry.
Regional Organizations: OEB, European Patent's Office, OHIM, Office for harmonization in the interior market.
International Membership: Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention For the Protection of Intellectual Property
Membership to the TRIPS agreement - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)

National Regulation and International Agreements

Type of property and law	Validity	International Agreements Signed
Patent « Ley de patentes » (11/1986 of March 20)	20 years
Trademark « Ley de marcas » (17/2001 of December 7)	10 year protection, renewable by 10 year periods.	Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks
Design « Ley de protección Jurídica del Diseño Industrial » 20/2003 of July 7)	5 year protection, renewable for 5 year periods, up to 25 years maximum.
Copyright Royal Legislative Order 1/1995 of April 12	lifetime of the author plus 70 years after his death.	WIPO Copyright Treaty
Industrial Models Royal Law-Order of July 26, 1929	20 years

Legal Framework

Independence of Justice: Judicial power is largely independent in Spain; however, it was affected by the Basque county terrorism to the extent that judiciary employees and policemen were the target of the separatist group ETA.
Equal Treatment of Nationals and Foreigners: Foreign nationals can expect an impartial proceeding in judicial matters.
The Language of Justice: Spanish.
Recourse to an Interpreter: Possible but only those selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (list of interpreters and sworn translators).
Sources of the Law and Legal Similarities: Spanish laws' foundations are in the 1978 Constitution, then in the Community Directives from 1986. The judicial system of the county is based on a civil right system with regional variations. Spain accepts the mandatory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with reservations.
Checking National Laws Online: Norma Civil
Derecho.com
1978 Constitution in English

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Standards

National Standards Organizations: Spanish Association for standardization and certification (AENOR)
Integration in the International Standards Network: At European level:
- European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
- European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
- European Telecommunications Standardization Institute (ETSI)

At the international level:
- International Standard organization (ISO)
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
- International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
Classification of Standards: UNE, national certification mark.
CE, European certification mark.
Online Consultation of Standards: The catalog of Spanish standards
The catalog of European standards
The ISO catalog
Certification Organizations: Accredited certification companies

Business Practices

General Information: Executive planet
Kwintessential
Opening Hours and Days: Closed the afternoon between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and the evening around 8:00 pm. (10:00 pm. for the superstores/ hypermarkets).
In July and August, closed at 3:00 pm. Banks close to the public at 2:00 pm.
Closed on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays (except major brands, all are closed on Sundays).

Public Holidays

New Year	January 1
Twelfth Night - Epiphany (Festival of Mages Kings)	January 6
Good Friday	the Friday before Passover/ Easter (March/April)
Labor Day	May 1
Assumption	August 15
National Festival (Día de la Hispanidad)	October 12
All Saints Day	November 1
Constitution Day	December 6
Immaculate Conception Festival	December 8
Christmas	December 25
St Stephen's Day	December 26

Holiday Compensation: If a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Monday is a holiday instead.

Periods When Companies Usually Close

Christmas and New Year holidays	Between December 25 and January 6.
Summer vacation	August
Holy Saint Week	From Thursday to Sunday of Passover.

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Spain: Business Environment